About Electroplating, PVD & Ion Plating (IP) Process

What is Electroplating?

Electroplating is the process of plating one metal onto another metal by hydrolysis. Typically, items are electroplated for decorative purposes, or to prevent a metal from corrosion. Some jewelry sold by Claudia Lobao are electroplated in either gold, rhodium, imitation ("faux")  rhodium, gunmetal and silver and we will refer to those items as "electroplated" in the product description. Some products have a designation in the product description as "Gold Flashed" See below the guidelines as established by the FTC as it relates to aspects of electroplating and Gold Flashing.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) a Federal Regulatory Agency that ardently protects American consumers defines the conditions when a manufacturer may state that an item was electroplated. "An industry product or part thereof, on which there has been affixed on all significant surfaces by an electrolytic process, an electroplating of gold, or of a gold alloy of not less than 10 karat fineness, which has a minimum thickness throughout equivalent to .175 microns (approximately 7/1,000,000ths of an inch) of fine gold, may be marked or described as "Gold Electroplate" or "Gold Electroplated," or abbreviated, as, for example, "G.E.P." When the electroplating meets the minimum fineness but not the minimum thickness specified above, the marking or description may be "Gold Flashed" or "Gold Washed." " (ref: PART 23 - GUIDES FOR THE JEWELRY, PRECIOUS METALS, AND PEWTER INDUSTRIES)

It's important to realize that eventually, the electroplating wears away, depending on how the item is worn and how thick the plating is. 

We feel that the electroplating coating and Gold Washing or Gold Flashing more than anything, has an aesthetic value which enhances the look and design of your piece. You should realize and be aware that if you purchased jewelry that is electroplated, Gold Flashed, or Gold Washed, that the Plated or Flashed jewelry piece will not increase in value as the price of Gold increases in the spot market. 

Claudia Lobao has a 12 month Limited warranty against discoloration or tarnishing of your electroplated or gold flashed jewelry purchased on this website or through an Authorized Retailer. To find out more about our Authorized Retailers please visit our warranty  page.

What if I didn't purchase the jewelry from Claudia Lobao or an Authorized Claudia Lobao Retailer?

If you purchased items through a third-party vendor (outside of claudialobao.com (this website) or from one of our authorized retailers) you should direct your request for warranty or non-warranty repair to the location the items were purchased from. For additional information please visit our warranty  page.

Taking proper care of gold-plated jewelry, may help extend its life and keep it bright and beautiful. Consider these steps:

  • You should always keep your jewelry (gold plated, gold washed, gold flashed) away from chemicals (perfumes), oils and makeup. Consider putting on your jewelry last after you have applied makeup, oils, sunscreen, etc. Soaps and detergents may have chemicals in them that can affect and impact the condition of your plated jewelry
  • You should always avoid exposing gold plated jewelry to any chlorinated water (swimming pools), and salt water. You should not wear plated jewelry while swimming. 
  • Our body natural oils and sweat can impact gold plating. You should wipe the jewelry off by cleaning your gold-plated jewelry regularly. Use a mild liquid soap and gently clean your jewelry and pat dry.  Do not use any harsh chemicals or abrasive cleaners. 
  • Your jewelry was shipped with a Claudia Lobao pouch which protected your piece during shipping, consider storing your piece in that cloth pouch or any cloth pouch away from elements such as light and liquids or humidity. If you decide to store your jewelry in a pouch, don't overcrowd the pouch with too many pieces as the friction and rubbing against each other may damage your jewelry.

What Base Metals are the jewelry pieces made from?

Products sold by Claudia Lobao typically use base metals such as Brass, Copper, Stainless Steel, and Zinc alloy and are what we refer to as "Fashion" and "Costume" jewelry which are not precious metals such as Gold, Platinum and Silver.

You can contact us if you have any additional questions regarding, we're here to help. support@claudialobao.com

PVD Coating & Ion Plating (IP)

Some of our products are coated using the PVD process. 

Physical vapour deposition (PVD) is a process used to produce a metal vapor that can be deposited on electrically conductive materials as a thin, highly adhered pure metal or alloy coating. The process is carried out in a vacuum chamber at high vacuum using a cathodic arc source. PVD plating is extremely durable. 

Ion Plating (IP) is similar to PVD, It's a modern plating method commonly used in the watch and jewelry industry where a durable and long lasting finish is applied to products made from durable metals such as stainless-steel.

If you would like more information regarding the PVD process we added a link to Wikipedia which explains the PVD process: click here to go to Wikipedia

If you would like more information regarding Ion Plating (IP) we added a link to the Wikipedia entry that explains the Ion Plating process: click here to go to Wikipedia

Is the jewelry sold on this website by Claudia Lobao considered Fine Jewelry?

The jewelry sold by Claudia Lobao on this website is not considered Fine or Precious jewelry. Claudia Lobao does not sell Fine or Precious jewelry. Our jewelry is usually known as "fashion", "bijoux" or "costume" jewelry. 

Fine or precious jewelry which contains precious metals such as Gold, Platinum and Silver can be found locally in your area by looking up Fine Jewelers. We recommend that you always look for local jewelers in your area, not only are you supporting your community but its best to establish a long term relationship with your local jeweler or Fine jewelry store. 

When shopping for Fine jewelry

The Federal Trade Commission suggests the following:

Shopping for Platinum, Gold, and Silver Jewelry

"It’s good to make some decisions before you start shopping for jewelry, like deciding how much you’re going to spend. But it’s also good to know where you’re likely to get the best jewelry for the best price. Here are three things to do when you’re looking to buy jewelry from a store or online:

  1. Ask people you know for recommendations.
  2. Find out what others say about a seller. Type its name and the words “complaint” or “review” into a search engine.
  3. Find the store’s refund and return policies — and get them in writing.

Also get to know the common phrases and markings used to describe the type of jewelry you’re looking for. That will make it easier for you to decide whether a piece of jewelry is worth the price." 

 

Still have questions? We are here to help. Please address any question to:

support@claudialobao.com

 Updated August 27, 2022